Not a Love Story
by Owai
Summary: Neji thinks about his genre while Sasuke makes it difficult to do so. [SasuNeji, possible onesided NaruNeji]


**Title;** Not a Love Story  
**Rated;** PG-13/R  
**Summary;** Neji thinks about his genre while Sasuke makes it difficult to do so. Some hints at one-sided NaruNeji oo;  
**Author's Note;** Not really sure how I feel about this one yet...

It's quite brief, and not overtly happy. Neji POV.

---

The Hokage's tower is hot and stuffy, full of dust motes that hang in lines of sunlight like warm petals of snow. The light is dim here, and Neji notices that one of the overheads flickers erratically, needing to be fixed. The place really isn't as history would have it believed. But then, this is just a hallway.

Neji's opened a window to let some air circulate while Sasuke walks idly to and fro before the closed door of the Godaime's office, steadily impatient. From behind the door comes the embellished whine of Sasuke's former teammate, the stillness of the air adding to its projection and annoying them both. There are some things Naruto will never outgrow, some things that even Sasuke and Neji can not ignore.

"Tch, taking forever," Sasuke mutters nearly inaudibly as he turns and walks once more in the other direction, away from Neji.

The Hyuuga can feel his impatience; Sasuke's volatile brand of emotion has always been rather sharp to him. Metallic, like blood or copper. Far too prominent, even if emotion has been turned down, run smooth by years with Orochimaru. Tempered by years alone. Quieted by the fulfillment of a goal.

Neji can still feel it, almost like it's a part of _him_.

He knows, though, that it's true. Sasuke takes steps and they are like his own. Despite the slightly wider gait, despite the distinct way Sasuke has of leading slightly with one shoulder, they can mirror one another. That's what happens when you know someone inside and out. You could _be_ them without blinking an eye.

Sasuke stops walking and Neji half-turns to see him staring.

"What," Neji says tonelessly. Naruto's voice can be heard over the softness of his own, even through the door.

"Get away from that window, Hyuuga..."

The calm in Sasuke's voice is enough to set Neji on edge, and he has slipped away from the open window in a matter of seconds. Golden light from the setting sun pools on the floor now that he is no longer blocking it, and Neji wastes no time in engaging the Byakugan. Nerves are still too tight from the finished mission. Adrenaline still holds claim on blood. Yet when he sweeps the area, Neji finds nothing aside from Sasuke beside him, suddenly, always suddenly beside him.

His breath hitches imperceptibly.

"Wha—"

"In the light..." Sasuke says, reaching out and drawing his calloused thumb over Neji's lower lip, a move that causes the Hyuuga's normally steady heart to spring into action, "you look beautiful like that."

It is a queer thing for Sasuke to say, and Neji does not expect it. He is used to watching Sasuke stretch and thinking how the shadows play on muscle remind him of a large, terrible predator, all grace and casually displayed power. Beauty in the details. But when he catches Sasuke looking at him, he never sees the same played out in the Uchiha's eyes. It is the long, cool stare of lust or calculation. Always deducing whether or not Neji is good enough, still good enough to hold this spot in his life.

But that is what Neji expects. After all, this is not a love story.

Sasuke's breath is against his lips, and Neji can feel the pinched sensation of blood pooling in his cheeks. He does not like a public display, and Sasuke has never touched him in any sort of way when they haven't been alone. No one knows of _this_, really, and sometimes when Neji watches unknowing eyes sweep over them, over him, he wonders what would be the reaction if they knew. And how, something whispers inside of him (deep and dark and painful in ways that he only remembers from a long time ago, wanting something far away that will never come to him), how would you explain it if they _did_?

_I think we are on different levels, his a stage below and mine a stage above, unknown and foreign and cold, too cold._

Neji once considered telling the Uchiha. What, he wasn't entirely sure. But then, he reconciled, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. And this is not a love story.

Later, he wondered what kind of genius he would have to be not to take chances. (The kind that never tries to fly.)

Sasuke is closing the distance between them now, what little distance had at one time remained. He smells of sweat from the earlier mission and something entirely different, a scent that colors Neji's sheets and his pillow, which Sasuke has the tendency of stealing in the night. He smells like pure morning on the dawn of a forest fire, and a red sky. He smells like life recycling into death recycling into life. Rebirth.

Neji lets out a sigh as their lips brush, and feels the curve of Sasuke's own.

"Blushing, Hyuuga?"

"You shouldn't," Neji says simply, knowing that Sasuke knows.

"But I am," the Uchiha replies with a nip to Neji's bottom lip. It is soft and almost careful. The first time, the time away from Konoha in the places they shouldn't have been (the people they shouldn't have been), Sasuke had been harsh. Rough, demanding, everything Neji would expect—still expected. He's softened since. His touch is almost a caress (and Neji wonders why).

They kiss, and the usual searing heat of Sasuke's desire flows through them both until it meets the cooler side of Neji's patience and mellows. Neji thinks sometimes that if he weren't there, Sasuke would just burn up. It would be a terrible, heartbreaking sight.

"I'm taking what I want of you when we get back," Sasuke breathes against Neji's ear. Neji looks up at the ceiling, counts cobwebs, and thinks _This is not a love story_.

"You always do," he whispers.

Satisfied with Neji's reply, or perhaps too distracted to really understand it, Sasuke maps Neji's neck with a line of kisses. As usual, Neji finds his fingers everywhere they can be when it comes to Sasuke. It is a compulsion he can not control, but never really wishes to. This time, however, is different. He fists his hands in the thick material of Sasuke's shirt.

Sasuke grunts. It is a sound of agitation.

"Don't stop touching me."

Neji swallows as Sasuke attacks his neck in a spot he had prepared moments earlier, above the clothing line. "What the hell are you doing, Uchiha?" he asks, and this time there's enough emotion in the tone to show that it's a question. One that Sasuke doesn't deign fit to answer.

It's really no matter; despite Neji's confusion, he's not really listening anyway. His fingers _do_ return to their roaming, take residence in Sasuke's hair, skitter down his neck. But it's unfocused. He's trying not to moan aloud at the way Sasuke's touching him; usually this isn't a problem.

When Sasuke presses against him and parts Neji's legs with one of his own, rubbing carefully, Neji gasps softly and pushes him away.

"We have a mission report due ten minutes ago, Uchiha," he says, embarrassed to find himself slightly short of breath. Sasuke, however, has already backed away.

"You're blushing again." Sasuke darts in quickly and gives the mark on Neji's neck another good suck before Neji can pull himself together enough to deal him a blow this time. When he backs away, he looks smug, completely nonchalant about his arousal as he pushes his hands into his pocket. "Might want to get that under control before you come in, Hyuuga."

Then he turns around and walks away. Right into the Hokage's office, no knock to speak of.

Neji curses silently, takes a few deep breaths and tries to force the heat out of his body. He palms the skin that burns from Sasuke's mouth and wishes he had a mirror to see what the damage is. Knowing Sasuke, it will be extensive.

From inside the Hokage's office, where Sasuke has left the door slightly ajar, Naruto is still having a fit. Neji can't count on that to buy him any time, though, so he regulates his chakra and argues the pros and cons of taking his hair down to hide the mark on his neck.

Times like these, he hates Sasuke for his unpredictability, his purposeless pursuits. He hates that sometimes, he _just doesn't understand_.

When he's composed himself, Neji follows Sasuke's path into the Hokage's office. The place is characterized by its mountains of paperwork, scattered and unopened packages, and an assortment of things that do not belong. Namely, a potbellied pig.

Sasuke is leaning against the wall when Neji enters, the picture of calm. Arms and legs crossed, his eyes are closed as Naruto lays into him for interrupting his diatribe with Tsunade, who is ignoring all three of them. Neji clears his throat and Naruto turns.

"Hey, Neji!"

"Naruto. We have an appointment," Neji says, observing for the first time the way Naruto watches him. Blue eyes gravitate to his face, attention never wavers. From Naruto, that's asking a lot. It's devotion in its own right, and Neji, as if suddenly realizing danger, closes himself off. Naruto's expression offers something Neji doesn't want from him, and as if his body is trying to tell him something, Neji's eyes slide to Sasuke.

_This is not a love story._

This is not a love story.

In that moment between catching Sasuke's waiting expression (expectant) and Naruto registering the mark on his neck, Neji knows. Naruto knows, and his eyebrows shoot up and he takes a step back, head snapping toward Sasuke before he stutters his confusion and realization and makes a hasty exit.

Neji studies the Uchiha for a long time. Sasuke merely looks triumphant and stares right back. His expression is calming, claiming.

The trace of possession on Neji's neck burns.

"Uchiha, Hyuuga, are you ready?" Tsunade's clipped voice finally pushes its way into Neji's consciousness. Breaking eye contact with Sasuke then is like slamming through a brick wall.

This is not a love story. But—

"I'm ready," Neji says.  



End file.
